Ronaldo restates plan to retire from World Cups after Portugal’s Spain clash in Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo used a rare World Cup press briefing on Sunday to restate what he has said before: this sixth World Cup with Portugal will be his last.

The exchange came on the eve of Portugal’s last-16 tie against neighbouring Spain. What began as light-hearted back-and-forth with journalists ended with a moment involving a reporter from Argentina.

Ronaldo, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward, spoke through a translator and smiled as he recalled people he has met along the way.

“What stays with me is the people — the people who love you. I share hotels with the staff, Latino people, and those are spectacular memories. Yesterday on the flight, there was an Argentine flight attendant. And knew she was Argentine by the way she looked at me: ‘I knew you were Argentine by the way you looked at me. If you look away quickly, it means you don’t like Cristiano.’”

He added: “I want to enjoy what will be my last World Cup to the fullest. Hopefully, tomorrow won’t be my last match. That way, you can keep bashing me some more.”

Ronaldo, 41, holds the record for most international goals with 146. He made comparable remarks in a television interview late last year, months after Portugal lifted the UEFA Nations League title with a dramatic penalty-shootout win over Spain.

During a 25-minute session at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, many questions centred on what those in the packed room already suspected — that this could be Ronaldo’s final World Cup.

Before the briefing ended, he teased reporters for seeming eager to usher him out. Each time, though, his tone turned more reflective.

“There’s nothing missing,” Ronaldo said. “God was so generous toward me. He gave me everything I never expected to win, especially at the national team. And personally, the same thing. So it’s enjoying every moment. I’m not going to be more Cristiano or less Cristiano because I win the World Cup. Of course, we all have hopes, myself especially, and we all want all the conditions to win. But we know that only one is going to win.”

Whenever Ronaldo’s run on football’s biggest stage ends, it will come eight years after he became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick at 33. That feat came in a 3-3 group-stage opener against Spain, a match widely regarded as one of the tournament’s finest, though neither side advanced from the group.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said Portugal must remain alert to Ronaldo’s threat.

“Not to say that we have to do man-to-man marking, but in certain areas of the field you’ve got to be aware that he’s there,” de la Fuente said in translated remarks. “He’s got the talent, he’s got the class, and he’s got the quality, and at any moment he can be decisive for the game. He can be the best. So we’re well aware of this.”

Portugal are aiming for a second straight quarter-final appearance. The only time they went further in the Ronaldo era was a semi-final run at his World Cup debut in 2006.